Although Castilian Spanish is the official language of Chile, this South American nation is known for having a great number of words and phrases that are distinct from other Spanish-speaking countries. In fact, the Spanish spoken in Chile is often indecipherable even to native speakers of Castilian Spanish. For example, only in Chile would you say: "Están cayendo los patos asados" (Roast ducks are falling) when the weather is hot. This dictionary and phrasebook prepares tourists, businesspeople, and anyone spending time in Chile for such idiosyncrasies.
Historical and cultural information on the Chilean "dialect"
An explanation of grammar and distinctive speech patterns
Useful sections on Anglicisms, food & dining, and travel